Between Boston College's geographic proximity to Philadelphia and its longtime residence in the Big East Conference, the Penn men's basketball team was plenty familiar with the Eagles when they drew them in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
But should Quakers coach Fran Dunphy need any further advice after watching tapes of Boston College's recent games, he can consult a pair of coaches he knows well -- Yale's James Jones and Villanova's Jay Wright.
Their two teams, along with Providence, were the only opponents that the Eagles and the Quakers had in common.
Of the 20 teams which BC beat to start the season undefeated, Yale came closest to interrupting that streak. The Elis paid a visit to the Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. and took the Eagles to double-overtime on their home floor before falling, 82-80.
Yale center Dominick Martin scored 22 points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds, while guard Edwin Draughan scored 17 points and dished out six assists. Backcourt teammate Alex Gamboa scored 15 points, including 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range.
Despite their stars' great performances, the Elis could not contain Boston College forward Craig Smith, who led all scorers with 29 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
Not surprisingly, Yale coach James Jones said that Penn has to "make sure they contain Craig Smith and contain Boston College at the basket."
Smith was named to the All-Big East first team, as was frontcourt partner Jared Dudley.
"If they have a lot of production in the paint, it's going to be a long night for Penn," Jones said. "But if they can control the paint area and get Boston College away from the basket and make them shoot perimeter jump shots, they'll have a great opportunity to win."
Yale held BC to just 3-of-12 shooting from three-point range that night, and the Eagles have only made 33 percent of their long-range attempts this season. BC has been plenty stingy at the other end of the floor, though, holding its opponents to 35 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Wright's Wildcats are even more familiar with Smith and Dudley, having played against the Eagles twice this season.
Exactly a month after beating Yale, the Eagles knocked off Villanova, 67-66, on two Dudley free throws with 5.5 seconds remaining. But the Wildcats got their revenge on Feb. 23, with a 76-70 win in front of a raucous Pavilion crowd and a national TV audience.
Forward Curtis Sumpter scored 20 points that night, including a perfect 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, while guard Randy Foye scored 23. And although Smith and Dudley scored 18 and 15 points respectively, the rest of the Eagles' starters were held to single digits. Sixth man Jermaine Watson managed only four points and five fouls in 16 minutes of play.
Coming into that game, the Eagles were 22-1 overall and ranked No. 3 in the nation, with the lone loss coming at Notre Dame.
But after leaving the Main Line, Boston College only won two of its last four games. The Eagles beat conference cellar-dwellers Seton Hall and Rutgers, but lost at home to Pittsburgh on Senior Night and then fell in the first round of the Big East Tournament to West Virginia.
Despite the skid, Wright sounded a note of caution to those Penn fans who have spent this week dreaming of the school's first NCAA Tournament win in 11 years.
"The teams that [Boston College] lost to were outstanding teams, and it's not like they've been beaten by any weak sisters," he said.
Wright cited forward Jan Fikiel as one of the key players for Penn. He noted Fikiel's three-point shooting as an asset -- especially considering that West Virginia big man Kevin Pittsnogle made three of his four attempts from beyond the arc in last week's game at Madison Square Garden.
"Pittsnogle's a lot thicker," Wright said, "but in terms of their skill and their ability to shoot over smaller defenders from the perimeter, that's what both of them do well."
